Commonwealth Games: India paddlers shine in first round (Lead)

Gold Coast (Australia) April 5 (IANS) Indian paddlers opened their Commonwealth Games campaign on a winning note with the men s team thrashing Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 while the women also completed a 3-0 clean sweep of Sri Lanka here on Thursday.

Amalraj Anthony opened India s win with a 11-5 3-11 11-2 14-12 win over Dexter St. Louis in the first men s singles tie before Sathiyan Gnanasekaran doubled the lead for India with a 11-5 11-5 11-4 thrashing of Aaron Wilson.

Already 2-0 up Harmeet Desai and Sathiyan teamed up to beat Yuvraaj Dookram and Aaron Wilson 11-9 11-4 11-4 in the men s doubles match making it 3-0 in favour of the Indians.

Earlier star woman paddler Manika Batra gave India the lead with an easy 11-3 11-5 11-3 win over Erandi Warusawithana in the first singles match.

Sutirtha Mukherjee then doubled the lead with a 11-5 11-8 11-4 verdict over Ishara Badu in the second singles tie.

Sutirtha then teamed up with Pooja Sahasrabudhe to beat Badu and Hansani Kapugeekiyana 11-6 11-7 11-3 in the doubles match to seal victory.

--IANS
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